I Need a Doctor
by deline89
Summary: I suck at summaries.. Basically, Roy walks into a deal tha Ed couldnt make.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I shouldn't… but I did *^*' GOMEN NE! I had this one in my head.. I don't know how it will turn out, no idea how long it'll be… chapter 1 starts now! The song that this story goes with is "I need a Doctor." By Eminem! :D **

"There is no way!" Ed hollered at the top of his lungs. "You're not keeping me here Mustang, not for a fucking minute longer!"

Those few sentences, hollered at the top of the blonde's lungs, pretty much summed up Roy's day… In conclusion, shit.

"_Listen_ to me Fullmetal…" He sighed, following the furious young man out of his office and into the larger, common area that was bustling with his staff. Hawkeye was at her desk, calmly polishing and staring down the open barrel of her gun. She had taken her break for lunch and decided that her spare time could be used to gently threaten the male occupants who shared her space.

She put it down as they stormed out, lifting an eyebrow at Ed, who immediately shut his mouth, spinning around and glaring daggers at Roy.

The raven turned slightly to Riza. "How do you _do _that?" He hissed. She just shrugged her shoulders. "Practice sir."

Roy glared at Fullmetal. The hell it took practice, if that was the case, he'd have the blonde under perfect control. As was, for the years that he had to work with the; first kid, then teen and finally, a young man. Ed changed very little, as did his attitude. Either that or the blonde had a special reserve of _bitch_ just for him.

Ed stomped right back up to him. "You have no idea what you're doing Mustang, I have no choice but to go this time! I am onto something, and if I fuck this up I might not ever get a chance like that again!"

Rewind to about a week previous:

Ed ran into the rather calm office. It was lunch time, and most of Roy's staff had decided that the day was pleasant enough to go out for lunch. The winter had been especially harsh, and any warm waft of spring, even a day; was very welcome in central.

He had been bullied into staying and finishing his paperwork by Riza, who promised him that she'd bring back something good and that she'd let him out early.

"You're Hawkeye's dog you know that? Even Black Hayate gets more of a loose leash."

Fullmetal was suddenly standing in the door, a bit flushed from running; his eyes were bright with mischief.

"And you're my dog, so what do you want Fullmetal?" Roy hated when people pointed out the obvious, he was totally under Riza Hawkeye's command.

"I suggest reviewing how your staff treats you." Ed huffed, flopping down into a chair facing Roy. He threw an opened letter unto the desk between them. Roy glanced at it briefly and looked back up at Elric, splicing his fingers and resting his chin on them in the process.

"You're my subordinate too Major, or did you forget?"

"Is she at least bringing you food?"

"That's not an answer to my question."

The blonde looked up lazily, crossing his long legs. "That's good, at least she's feeding you."

'Fullmetal…"

"Allright, allright bastard, calm yourself." Ed untwined his legs and leaned in. "Check this out" he prodded the envelope again.

Roy took the thin envelope and pulled out the surprisingly flimsy bit of paper. "Help yourself to something." He mumbled, pointing in the general direction of the cabinets that held drinks.

Ed got up and closed the short distance in two strides. He was obviously still elated by whatever he had received. Roy scanned the message quickly. Why was this so special?

"Perdita clavigerum civitatem." He mumbled the words to himself, scratching his head.

"Sounds like an ad to a tourist destination." He mused, seeing Ed's expression gloom. He had picked a glass bottle of sparkling water, and had taken out two glasses which he placed on the desk. He peeked at the letter again, pouring the drinks out evenly and handing Roy one. "I think this might hold the answer." He said quietly. "Something is pointing us forward in a direction."

"You are obviously still a kid at heart Fullmetal." Roy sighed at the news he was expecting but hoping wouldn't come to fruition. "There is no way you can seriously be thinking of running off in a dead end search because you got one _incomplete_, might I add, sentence." He flopped the paper down. "There is nothing to prove this is a lead Major. You can't get excited because it's written in a different language. It could be a trap."

"I can handle myself _sir_." Gone was the happy spark in Fullmetal's eyes, replaced by a flicker of anger.

Roy looked at him._ Really_ looked at him, gone was the child that he had once coerced into joining the military to protect. Like his flames, Ed was hard to control, and once out of control range, he was impossible to stop.

He sat now, and every bunched muscle told Roy that he was going to jump at any opportunity presented to fire off into an unknown destination, most likely dragging Al with him.

"Think of Al" he tried. His armor is getting more dangerous to replace. Any injury now could be extraordinarily dangerous."

"I am thinking of Al, Mustang, do you really think it's myself I'm worried about?"

Roy had to admit, it was never himself that Fullmetal thought about, which was part of the problem. He treated his body like a tool to find a way to bring Al's body back.

"You're not indestructible either." He mused, fixing Elric with a hard stare "You should take better care of yourself." He added noticing not for the first time, the tiny scratches and bruises littering the exposed flesh arm. Doubtless, Ed was out practicing somewhere again. "You're not completely metal."

"I would have thought that was good." Ed snapped back.

"It is and isn't. The way you're going, it would probably be best for you if you were."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're hurting yourself…" Here was the truth at last. Roy had been skidding around it for years, telling himself that what Ed did outside his duty to the military was his own business. Especially since he'd gotten older, filled up his height and flourished from an infuriating little kid to an even more infuriating young man.

"Am not. It's called practice Mustang, you should try it sometime." Elric deadpanned. Looking smug and pointing in the general direction of his superior's abdomen. "Need to take some of the flab off don't you think?"

"Something you noticed Fullmetal, I wonder since there's not much showing through my uniform." Roy smirked at the dust of a blush that graced Elric's cheeks. He had him right where he wanted him.

"All Im saying, Mustang…" The nervous shake in his voice was obvious, "is that what I do with my body is my business."

And Roy couldn't bring himself to make any comment on that subject. Fact was, the Elric brothers were hit hard by foolishness they committed as children, and Ed's lifelong obsession ever since was restoring the armor Al, his little brother had become, into a body that he was sure existed somewhere still. Getting back his lost arm and leg however, seemed to be placed second.

"So how did you get this?" Roy decided switching subject altogether might be for the best.

"I woke up yesterday for a glass of water. It was like, maybe 2 am?" Fullmetal mused. "There it was, just sticking through the mail slot in the front door."

"Just like that?" Roy arched a brow. "No knock, no sounds, ringing on the door? Nothing?"

"Nope."

"Well then, like hell are you going if you have no further clues."

"I didn't ask your permission Mustang, I'm informing you I have a lead and that I'm going to investigate it. If you send me there as a mission, great. If not, that's all right too, either way, I'm going."

"Cheeky brat, I will have every train stopped in the stations if you so much as set out a foot outside without me knowing." Roy said pleasantly.

Fullmetal just stared at him, measuring Roy up. The raven felt strangely bare as the molten gold eyes pierced him. Despite his age, Fullmetal always had such piercing eyes. Eyes that spoke that he knew much more than he should for his age. And of course, technically speaking, that was right. The young man sitting before him was a known prodigy. A superb genius when it came to anything alchemy related- Edward Elric had experts beat by a mile. Theoretically, and in experience. Al, although caught in a hunk of empty metal, wasn't far behind, but there was an edge missing in the younger Elric's personality that gave Edward the upper hand. He was stubborn, brilliant and insolent. A decidedly bad mixture of traits if one pursued a career in the elite Amestrian military.

That was where he came in, shielding the explosive man with his rank and status. At best, he allowed the Elric brothers to pursue their search for finding a way of getting back at least Al's body. He hated to, it left him restless and on edge, worrying perhaps too much about their whereabouts and safety. He couldn't help himself where the two were concerned, there was something about the suffering the children went through that left with almost powerless to ignore them. Al was such a sweet child, and Ed made up for his tremendous lack thereof by being the protective mother hen to anyone young and helpless, especially his brother, although Al was far from helpless. Roy thought.

This lead however, was too vague, too well… stupid in fact, to be even considered.

"For your genius Fullmetal, he broke the silence; it seems too crazy for even you to consider this worthwhile."

Elric was still staring at him, as if trying to read him. His eyes traveled around Roy's face, down his neck, and caressed his shoulder. Roy shivered under the impact, careful not to let himself show the sudden jump in his pulse. Elric looked _good. _So good, sitting before him all serious, there was a knowing glint in those eyes that told him things he knew the blonde would never utter.

"Tell me, Elric."

Fullmetal huffed, resting his head on his arm and moving the force his gaze from him to the window and beyond it. "Al is not going to pull through this if I dally any longer. The metal is worn out, and the more I fix it, the more brittle it becomes. There's absolutely nothing I can do for him and I'm…" he cleared his throat. "I'm scared." He whispered softly, barely audible.

Roy's legs carried him on their own accord. In a moment, he was sitting beside him, Hand ghosting over the shoulder where the port was screwed into bone and flesh. He winced at the very thought of the pain the youth must have gone through. Placing it finally, very gently, he rubbed in what he hoped would be a soothing gesture.

The blonde didn't turn to look at him, his head was slightly turned from him, still viewing the brilliantly sunny day outside. Roy watched instead as the few rays that filtered through mixed and tangled into Elric's hair. The different tones of gold contrasted starkly against his tanned flesh, riddled with scars as it was, Roy still had to admit that Ed was perfect just the way he was, his skin showed what he had gone through, and this was to be honoured, he would know, he understood.

His eyes widened in surprise as Fullmetal's flesh hand rested on his own, which was still holding onto his shoulder. It was the only acknowledgement of needing to be comforted the Elric had ever shown, and Roy was grateful that he at least was trusted to see the blonde this vulnerable. The gentle pressure in the long, tanned digits conveyed the tears and sobs that the young man beside him would not allow to happen.

"It's ok to be scared." He whispered against his ear, grateful that the youth still held him. "We are all scared sometimes."

"Will you let me go?"

"You didn't tell Al yet?" Roy was surprised, he had not expected that Fullmetal was capable of not sharing something with his brother.

"Not yet, I… wasn't sure."

"Are you now?"

"No…"

"Then why…?"

"Because it's the only hope I have left."

"Fullmetal…" he sighed

"Will you?"

"…no."

"I see" The body relaxed, and with a last squeeze of his hand, Major Edward Elric got swiftly up.

Roy was still sitting; he looked up at the blonde, who was towering over him sitting. The golden eyes were sad, but determined.

"Ill see you around then.' He mumbled, inclining his head as thanks for the refreshment. And leaving the office swiftly.

Roy got up slowly; head filled with questions and much too shaken up to his liking. Ed had always had that effect on him. Jittering him down to the very core and managing to break his patience where no one else could. He sat down at his desk and picked up his phone, dialing.

"Maes? Yes, I was wondering if you could do me a little favor?"

….

"Yes, of course I would"

….

"No dumbass, not today, I'm busy with paper… oh shut up. I am NOT"

…

"Oh did he?... He'll pay for that"

…

"So anyways"

….

"Could you hold the traffic coming out of central for the weekend?"

...

"I know it's a lot of people. Seriously?"

"Would I bother you if it wasn't?"

...

"Exactly"

…..

"Keep em busy"

…

"Yes, trains as well"

…

"When? I'd suppose tonight, actually, as soon as possible would be better"

…

"Just tell them we have a serious criminal who is believed to want to flee the city"

…

"Correct. I will indeed call you up later. Cheers mate."

He relaxed again and peeked outside. There was no one in the gardens that his office window overlooked. But the weather was gorgeous indeed. Somehow, the sunshine dancing on the branches reminded him of the Major, and he smiled.

**AN: Ok, note please that this wont be updated as often as I would like due to the fact that it is summer, bit my love for FMA will see this one through! LOL cheers! **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Another chappie to test the waters, cheers mates! :)**

Overall, it was a pleasant morning. Roy had gotten up early, the sun filtering in through his window provided a far more subtle awakening than he would expect from an alarm clock.

He had taken the day to finish his work and decided to meet up Maes for a drink at the local bar. His scruffy, protective and over-loving friend had helped him out, and had insisted that Roy fill him in completely. This he did, mentioning everything, including his theory on how much of an idiot Fullmetal was.

Maes got quiet when Roy mentioned the letter, looking into his glass and whirling the drink within it. Roy waited patiently for him to speak. There were rare occasions when his childhood friend got very serious about a subject. This provided the needed break from him showing off a mini album of the pictures of his beloved wife, Gracia, and their daughter, Elicia.

"Do you have the paper with you?" He asked finally, looking at Roy with a look that told him Maes thought something was up. "For God's sakes, man! You too?" Roy clapped a hand over his forehead, letting out an exasperated sigh. "What could a small slip of paper possibly mean? I'd suspect a prank by one of the neighbor scoundrels."

"How many scoundrels do you know that make indirect remarks about alchemical secrets?" Maes pointed out and shut Roy right up. "And since when was there anything that happened to those two brothers by sheer accident?"

Roy thought through this. It was true, shit happened to them often, and almost always as a plan. There wasn't a single time, in fact, that he could remember Ed or Al being involved in something, directly or not, that wasn't somehow connected to some dangerous alchemical idea or experiment. And therein, he supposed, lay the crux of the matter. It was hard to admit to himself that he was worried that it might have indeed been a clue. A clue that most likely would land the brothers in another life-threatening situation.

"You kill everything, you know that?" He poked at the arm that Maes had rested on the bar. "I hate that about you."

Maes smiled sadly and glanced at his friend. They had both had a bit to drink, and although Roy could take an excessive amount of alcohol without much fan flair, he, Maes wasn't as impermeable to its effects. "Not that I blame you for your worrying for them, but don't you think that it's a bit obsessive?"

Roy huffed and ruffled around hi his friends jacked breast pocket, pulling out a small, pink flat wallet. He let it open and fall, to reveal a snakelike succession of shots taken of a small girl, riding a bike, a pony, with a ball, on Maes' back, and a lovely women with short, chocolate hair. "You have no right," he added, smacking his friend with the pictures across the nose; "to speak on the subject."

"So you want kids?" Maes pressed, laughing outright at the scared expression on Roy's face. "Or a wife?" He prompted, gently.

Roy got quiet, not wanting to say anything stupid. "I'm not built for a family lifestyle Maes, I'm not like you besides, I have not met a woman that would interest me like _that._"

Maes nodded. "A man perhaps?" Roy looked to him sharply, smiling when he realized Maes wasn't judging, just honestly curious. "I've dabbled, I suppose" He sighed again, for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, and rested his chin on his arm. "You know me too well, and lying to my best friend would be an affront… I, I don't know what I want."

Maes nodded solemnly at that in understanding. "You have not even the slightest hint?"

Roy looked ahead of him and out a window. Night had fallen hours ago, but it looked peaceful outside. A half swollen moon played against the window panes. "I have no idea."

"I think you just might, but don't know it yet." Maes smiled to himself, ignoring Roy's suddenly piercing gaze.

"Whom do you have in mind?"

"You'll know when the time is right."

"Now you sound like a priest, frankly Maes, I think you've had a few too many." Roy was getting up, a bit too quickly perhaps, but his mind was distraught. Maes knew something he himself didn't, that he was sure about. The more disturbing element in the prophecy was that Maes usually turned out to be correct. And Roy didn't want to know who his overly perceptive friend had seen as Roy's pick.

"I need to sleep, Im completely drained." He made his excuses quickly, averting looking into his friends amused eyes. He hadn't moved an inch, just smirking slightly. Roy nipped his head on his way to the door. "Cut that out," was his last night goodbye.

Outside, the air was warm, but the breeze provided a perfect ventilation to make up his mind to walk home. Despite the element he controlled, Roy preferred cool spaces, and couldn't stand hot days or sunshine. His skin therefore was paler than most, which provided a stark contrast to his raven hair and onyx eyes. Women liked that, he knew, and some men too. He tried to recollect all his one night stands as he walked and had to admit to himself with shame that he could not.

A piece of paper found its way between his fingers, which were embedded in his military coat pocket. He pulled it out to inspect against a dimming street light. It was the copy he made of the letter Fullmetal had brought him. He shuddered to think what would happen if the boys managed to sneak out of central and follow the clue, especially if it was indeed not false. Comforted only by Maes' solemn oath that no one and nothing could sneak past without authorized permission which passed directly through him, he stepped onto the steps that lead to the front door of his apartments and made his way inside. He fell asleep almost immediately, but awakened reenergized and moderately happy. It was only upon entering the office and being almost assaulted by Full metal himself that his mood deflated like a pierced balloon.

He watched the retreating mans back and rubbed his temples. "So much for a pleasant morning." He mumbled, shooting Riza an apologetic smile. "How far do you think the noise of that one reached?"

Riza looked to the open office windows and cocked an eyebrow. Roy went to one, and poked his head out. There were offices all around the indoor park and sadly, most of the windows were opened, not a single person could be seen in them. "I bet they're plastered all around the sides, listening."

Riza took aim behind his shoulder and aimed neatly at one of the open window panes. It shattered loudly, and hissing squeals and whispers could be heard. "I'd say so as well sir." She turned right back to her work, leaving a slightly alarmed Roy to move out of the window. "I'll have to pay for that you know." He murmured, retreating back to his office.

His phone rang and he answered. It was Maes.

His eyes widened as he reviewed the message. A curse spilled forth and he was out of his office that fast, pulling on his gloves, Riza right behind him. The rest sat in stunned silence. Roy had thought enough to turn back at the door. "Keep the fort up guys, ill be reviewing any information that came through Huges' office when I return, I want not a detail left out!

He was gone that quick, trying not to run the halls and looking like he could keep himself together. "I leave the kid alone for twenty fucking minutes and he does this." He hissed, Riza deciding to stay quiet.

Maes was already waiting for them at the front steps of central offices, two cabs at the ready. "There's backup in that one." He pointed to the one behind the one he was standing at, "And Major Armstrong has kindly accepted my offer to come with, get in!"

They filed in, Roy and Maes in the back while Riza took the front.

"They slipped out through the sewage system. The only reason we know they're gone is because the staff at a restaurant they were dining at realized that they left without paying but no one actually had seen them leave. My men searched the place and found traces of alchemy beside one of the dumps that leads down into the system, looks like they covered up pretty well; it was only by accident that they spotted the slight residue."

"They must have been in a hurry, Fullmetal doesn't usually leave any residue after his transmutations." Roy noted, remembering the last time he had seen Elric actually transmute. "Just look at Al's suit, do you see any signs?"

Maes nodded. "You sure do keep details in check." Roy huffed out, "I always make it my responsibility to know every detail!"

Riza coughed from the front seat and Armstrong chuckled. "What?" He was defending his ego. "I do!"

"Of course you do sir." Riza nodded with a voice that let everyone know the opposite.

They had arrived at the restaurant and Roy had the door open before the car even stopped, hoping out, he dashed across and into the kitchens behind. The staff skidded out of the way for him, and he was met by two of Maes' men waiting by the garbage dump. He transmuted it quickly, noting the transmuted stumps that would aid the brothers in climbing down instead of falling. "A quiet escape then" he muttered. The tunnel was definitely large enough for Al's amour to fit through.

He had one leg in the opening when Maes grabbed him. "Don't you think it's unwise?" His friend's eyes showed that he was worried. "To just drop in there alone?"

"I think I can take care of myself here." He whispered. Besides, Riza is going with me, I have a hunch these boys are headed for "There are some ruins of an old Xerxes city in the desert. I believe they will be heading out for that. I'm going this way, but it would be helpful if you have some provisions waiting for me when I get out of this hell hole." He added, scrunching his nose at the awful scent wafting towards them and up. "Perhaps a change of clothes as well?" He added hopefully, looking at Maes from below. The man smiled and nodded "Anything you want mate."

With that they were gone.


	3. Chapter 3

"This shit smells" Ed spat into the quickly flowing muddy water they were walking along. The sewage system turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. He once again checked the map he was holding. Al walked meekly beside him.

"What shit are you referring to niisan?" He poked Ed on the back of the head. "The one you're getting yourself into again or the one that's flowing here?"

"Both" Ed murmured, nose in paper. They had taken a single lantern with them to see, and Ed was sorry that they did. He wasn't sure how long the thing was going to hold out if they were underground long enough. He was sure they were going the right way, but the fact that it was long in coming didn't sit well with the young man.

His only comfort was that soon, so _very soon_, he'd have Al back in a body, his own arm and leg were of little importance now, he could live with them, had gotten used to them in fact, and he was driven by just that one need.

The map he'd gotten from the dream creature led right to the ruins of Xerxes. Right where he was instructed to go. In reality, this whole thing made little sense even to himself, but it was most probably the only option left to him. He had no hopes of ever creating a stone without using humans, and there was virtually no other option where they would come out both alive. He'd take a fucking dream then, especially since it proved quite possible.

He had dreamed of being in the nothingness between the gates, facing the little white man, who was cackling happily away. He had come up to him then, and shook him in hop[es of retrieving some sort of information, any hope at all. "Tell me!" He finally broke apart, letting go of the white, surprisingly warm arms and falling to the floor.

"You do as I say and perhaps there is something." The mirage smiled wickedly, hanging upsideown facing him. Ed didn't try to reason out how that position was physically possible, he had long ago lost hope in physics, they proved too irrelevant in his field, which, ironically, should have been based on mostly that, and alchemy. He listened to the little man because there wasn't much to do besides that, since he couldn't wake up yet. He hoped subconsciously that these dreams would help him come up with a new idea, a plan.

_And then the letter came…_

And then his dream came…

There again was the little man. "Have you gotten my letter?" He asked sweetly. Tilting his head in question. "You will need it to be able to pass through the military you know? Dog of the military cant just run off like that."

Ed had kept the letter, not showing it to anyone, not really knowing what to do with it. Al didn't have to know.

"No." he answered, what if it's a scam, this is my fucking dream for christsakes, you're not even real."

"Another letter then, tonight" The mirage answered, frowning, "You don't move and do something boy, your chance is gone."

Ed woke up in cold sweat. The room was dark, Al was not in the room. The faint squeal of metal caught his perked ears right away. He had sprinted to the door, grabbing the small envelope again. There was the map. His eyes were wide, the dream as vivid as ever.

He had bulleted into central headquarters and into Mustang's office right away. He decided then that the map would be hidden, as would be his dream. There was no need, since he still could not comprehend it all completely, to spill everything. All Mustang needed to know was that he was leaving whether he was allowed to or not.

Indeed, Roy had taken considerable amounts of influence to make the feat nearly impossible. Nearly that is, because there they were, scurrying besides a river full of literally, shit. Ed scowled at the dirty grime floating in the brown gunk. He'd pay back Roy for making it that pleasant a trip for them.

"It's all that bastard Colonel's fault!' he sneered, stomping away. Al was quick to argue. "But Niisan, _how_ is it his fault? You broke into the sewers and decided to run off without permission. And you still haven't told me _why_ we're doing this!"

"I just have an idea that's all." Ed hid his face in the shadows. Al would be able to tell right away if he'd been lying. "There's still something we haven't seen and I feel like this could really be it bro!" He grinned as hard as he could at his younger brother. Al looked at him and said nothing. Ed wasn't sure what that meant, but hurried his steps, the light flickered.

_Soon. _

xXx

"Only Fullmetal would do shit like this." Roy hissed to Hawkeye, who looked slightly amused and nevertheless quite understanding. "You could've let him pass and then just followed him." She noted, earning herself a dark glare from Mustang.

"What? It's true, and you wouldn't have ended up with that." She looked pointedly at the Colonels right foot.

When they jumped in Roy had been overzealous, he jumped out of the pipe and almost landed face first in the slime flowing quickly onwards. The result? Only his foot managed to sink in before he was grabbed by the woman beside him.

"I'm going to take this thing off when I can and shove it up the brat's ass." He mumbled as he made his way forward. The plus of this was that his flame alchemy did well in providing light, which this place had not. They marched quickly, fueled by Roy's anger.

The smell here was disgusting, and had Roy not been used to much worse, he'd have gagged by now. As was, both he and Riza seemed rather unbothered beyond the obvious disgust.

"They're rather quick, aren't they?" She asked, trying to make light conversation. "I cant hear anything, forget seeing any sign of this used before us."

Roy nodded in agreement, Fullmetal was indeed in a great hurry, and Roy felt like there was something missing in his story, now that he thought about it. "Why would a kid as cautious as Fullmetal, ok so maybe not cautious, but well acquainted with all the crazy shits out there, go off just like that?"

"Doesn't really seem like regular Edward behaviour." Riza agreed. "he'd usually burrow into the library if he finds new info, and makes sure to check stuff out in case there's any well, you know, human involvement." She shook her head. "This is definitely strange."

"His eyes…" Roy noted quietly, "when he came to ask me for permission his eyes were set, he had already made his decision and Riza, I'm afraid the kid will try anything now, absolutely everything if it means getting Al's body back."

"Naturally." The blonde agreed, "It's a fact that Ed blames himself, I wouldn't be surprised if he got coerced into some plan that promised a solution."

Roy's stomach sunk a notch lower as he broke into a jog. "Shit, shit, _SHIT_!"

xXx

Ed ran up to the grimy steps that led upwards out of the systems. "Come on Al! No time to waste!" he whooped cheerily and clapped his hands to break the obviously sealed door. The blinding light of the desert sun, the hot, dry air and the cloud of fine sand itself assaulted their eyes and noses. Ed sneezed and made Al laugh.

"Let's see where we are…." He trailed off as he poked his head out cautiously. "butt fuck nowhere, as expected." He siged and wggled out, holding out his hand to Al and hauling up. They both squinted, covering their eyes with hands. Where next. Ed peeked at the map. This was getting too weird, and ed was beginning to have doubts, what if he was going mental? He wouldn't be surprised.

The sun was making its way to the horizon, turning redder as it went. This allowed ed's eyes to get used to the blaze. "Fucking lucky you cant feel the heat here bro, its horrible." He wheezed, realizing they hadn't brought any provisions. Well, fuck all that, if he could get Al human again, he'd worry about water.

He pointed to some darkening silhouettes now visible. Lets make our way to that and then see what we can do. He motioned for Al to follow as they trudged through the white sand.

The silhouette turned out to be some natural rocks, and Ed cursed his luck, hopping he'd have an easier way of locating the city.

The sun had set thoroughly now, and the not short trek left him overheated and thirsty with a blazing headache. "Beautiful" he wheezed, flopping down beside Al in the growing shadow. He held up his metal arm to his pulsing forehead and cursed softly as the metal proved to be just a shot as the sand they were sitting on.

"Take a rest Niisan, I'll stand watch" Al patted Ed lightly, Ed nodding thankfully for the small bit of soothing provided. He was feeling strangely drained. He was also hoping that he would be guided again.

Indeed, it was exactly what the little man had in mind. "You must get up and walk weakling, how else will you save yourself and your brother?" It hissed at him. Ed wanted to explain, but it gave him no chance. "get up! Get up now!" He jerked awake, startling Al, who had his arm around him. "Niisan?' he asked tentatively.

Its all good Al, we gotta get going now, hol long was I out for?" he asked, dusting himself up, ready to go.

"No idea, but it managed to get dark by now, I'd say about an hour or two?" Al wa sup and moving with Ed. The blonde had his eyes on the direction the little man had pointed out to him. "We gotta make it there quickly ok Al? There's too much time wasted already."

"Niisan,. Mind telling me what you're so on about? You didn't tell me anything!" Al pointed out, dutifully keeping in step with Ed.

"I found some old research that was left in Xerxes, and I think it might be able to get your body back." He managed that much truth, he couldn't tell Al everything, his reaction, he supposed, would be akin to that of Mustang.

"Why didn't you show me the research?" Al sounded hurt. "You always share."

"I just didn't want to waste time," Ed lied again, feeling a brotherhood with the shit that was flowing in the sewers. "I'll show you when we get back to central." He smiled.

"The colonel will chew your ass out." Al joked, but Ed was sure that it was exactly what the man would do, and he'd have ever right to do it too, Ed thought. Breaking out of central was a bit too much, even in his standards.

"Ill even let him." Here was some truth at last, "but right now lets hurry up ahead, I think I see something that looks like a crumbling wall!" His steps became irregular as his alms began to sweat.

xXx

They were running all out now, it scared Roy to not have caught up to them now, there was no way in hell that they were that far ahead!

Riza's heavy breathing was mixed with his own, they were getting nearer, he could tell by the sudden wind flowing at them. It was certain that they boys had already broken through the sewage system and were that much closer to harm. "Fucking Fullmetal, I'm going to leash him up I swear!" he growled, his pulse quickening with his new wave of anger. He was angry that he was helpless, that there was nothing he could do and was virtually unarmed and unaware what waited on the other side of the heavily bunched earth that was the sewage ceiling.

The stairs at last, those already covered by a hefty amount of sand. "Riza, I want you to radio in to Maes, give him these coordinates and send for backup. Everything, an ambulance, troops and provisions. I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen, but I want you here, in this spot and in contact with Maes at all times you understand?"

She looked like she was going to argue with him. "I can take care of myself, and if it is a false alarm then Fullmetal is going to pay dearly for the mess he's caused. For now, youdont move understood?" the last wa san order, not a friendly question.

"Sir." She nodded, already pulling out the radio and dialing in to central. It was the only thing they had brought; Roy had also grabbed a compass and an old map of the desert. That should be sufficient aid.

He ran across the sand, knowing full well how tiring running on it was. There was no time to be reserving this now, every second wasted could mean the brothers' that much closer to danger. He was sweating hard, the sweat vaporizing from his skin that quickly. Night had fallen quickly, and still he hurried on, guided by the starts and the compass that he was holding tightly.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: It's been a while, but I haven't forgotten you guys! Just a lot of school work! Enjoy! **

_Fuck fuck fuck! This wasn't going right at all! Ed was in a panic now, struggling to stay awake and determined to keep himself alert. "Al!" his voice sounded weak and watery, there was no answer from his little brother. Ed was ready to chew his hands off, a fox caught in a trap would do just that. They were cemented to the design he and Al had activated. He was panicking, no clear thought formed in his head. He was deaf, not a sound coming to him then, not even his own voice. He should have never come, should have listened to Mustang…. _

Roy was running so fast that he didn't feel his legs. They were now moving on their own accord, and his stomach dropped to his gut when he saw the strong blue light coming from just beyond some ruined walls. "Shit shit _shit!_" he hissed to himself and tried to speed up, which ended up in him tripping over himself. He was up before he knew it and back to it again. _God, oh God.. .oh dear God… _

He hadn't expected to see anything remotely pleasant when he finally made it to the wall and beyond it, but what he did see had him stopped in his tracks. This was his worst nightmare, the stuff he felt he dreamed about, woke up at night in horror and didn't remember in the morning. There was the empty shell of what used to be Al's armour and the leg and arm that had belonged to Ed. There was a large, circular design in the middle of which was a gate. He didn't think he'd ever see one. Was sure that it was seen only by those whom would create the portal itself. Yet there it stood, wide black mouth gaping and all was quiet. So damnably quiet that he couldn't stand it.

The sign was fading slowly, and his stomach plummeted further, desperate to do something, _anything,_ he ran up and jumped into the gate.

He had expected pain, but felt numbness instead, and a chill surrounded him in his blindness. There was that. And next he was standing in a.. he looked around. It looked like well, white. There were no walls, and no horizon. Just white, kind of a glowing, white light that emanated form everywhere. That and another gate. He wondered if he was supposed to go through that too. Would have made a dash for it in fact, but the voice behind him had him spinning in the other direction.

"Nice of you to join us." The figure of a faceless little white man, sitting on air. Said.

"That is so cliché." The words left him before he could check himself. And he didn't care, he found. He was furious, and he had a feeling that the little faceless dick in front of him was responsible.

The thing laughed, a tinkling bell like sound. And cocked its head at him. "You wonder where the brothers are aren't you?" It smiled. Roy shuddered at the gristly image of a face with only a mouth. "Indeed." He stood facing now. "Mind telling me where they went?" That was a slim chance, but he could as well try anything.

"The thing glided out of his way and there, Roy beheld both the brothers, completely human, slumped against each other as though asleep. Ed's arm and leg were still missing. They didn't bleed, they simply weren't there.

He made to run to them, but was stopped by the little man. His temper snapped and he raised his hand to strike. The thing grabbed his wrist with surprising speed and crushing strength. "I've waited for a long time to meet you, you know?" He smiled again. "It's why I've arranged this little get together actually."

"Youre the letter sender then." Roy knew this, he didn't need the confirmation. "Indeed, I am the same!" the cackling laugh surprised the raven a bit. It was drastically different that the tinkling one form a second ago. This was greedy, evil, if he had to name it. A greedy laugh.

"When the brother's attempted to transmute their Mother, They opened up this gate… No, listen." The thing held up its arm and pushed Roy, who was going to protest, back. "This created a bond between me and them, or rather, specifically, Edward. He had more of a connection to me for some reason, and I could see through him into what he himself experienced. " Roy's eyebrow shot up and the thing smiled gleefully. "oh, I could tell you some of the most private moments of that young man laying over there. Things he himself would never share, not even with his little brother, I believe. But back on track, I saw you through him, saw your power, and recognized it as something that hadn't been used in centuries, you are very rare, Mr. Mustang sir."

"You mean my fire alchemy?" Roy asked, unsure what he meant.

"Precisely." The thing continued. "manipulating something that isn't solid, or even liquid is very rare and takes a certain type of power. A power that hadn't been seen in centuries. Previously, I have never felt such a power, although I figured someone must have trained you, I know now that his strength was not at quite the same plane as yours. Do you understand, _Roy?' _

Roy thought that he was slowly beginning to, actually. It had something to do with alchemy, and he supposed the thing wanted it.

"An exchange then," he said quickly. "My alchemy, for those boys."

The thing laughed again, loudly, his voice reverberated through the space they were in. "very good, you begin to understand I think." He smiled. "those boys were a sort of lure, if you will. And they worked wonderfully indeed! But…"

Why had there always to be a _but_? Roy wondered, exasperated and shaking, desperate to get the Elrics out of there.

"I cannot do anything with your alchemy alone. What I want is greater than that sir, I.. I want your _soul."_

Roy blinked once, twice. He had hoped he had misheard. "What has my alchemy to do with my soul?" His voice sounded hoarse.

"they are interlinked, so to speak, and you will find that possessing alchemy alone will not cut it. I need the link it has formed to the wavelength of your soul to get the effect I desire.

"You're going to turn my soul, if I am willing, into energy to power up the alchemy?' Roy needed to understand, this was horrid thinking, and he felt faint.

"You are as bright as they say!." The thing clapped its hands in glee. "But lets make this fun, shall we?" He whirred around the space, now hanging upside-down. "You get this…" here, it pulled out a shining, red stone. It was jagged, and sharp looking, and it gleamed blood red in the white hand. "I suppose you know what this is?" Roy nodded, unable to take in a proper breath.

"You get this, and get to use it three times exactly. Whether you use it to tie your shoes or return someone from the dead, lets say. Three uses is all you get."

"An the catch?" Roy asked. He knew there was one.

"When the thirs use happens, your soul is mine." The thing was nose to nose now. "You can keep it until you die and not use it once, or you might use it all at once right now. Your choice." The stone was placed in his outstretched hand. Roy took the bait and the world around him collapsed.

He came to the same destruction he had left in. The empty shell and the empty limbs and the gate. The only difference here was that there was blood oozing from the automail, and he couldn't stand the sight of it. He was sprawled on the ground between them, and he realised with horror that he was bleeding from somewhere beneath his left lung. It looked like a bullet wound and the pain was getting worse with every breath. He grasped his side hissing, eyes still on the torn limbs. "Fuck." He coughed up blood and cursed. He needed _help._

The sharpness in his hand made itself known and he breathed in relief. _He could do this_. With a flash like lightning, his alchemy went haywire and there was Al, already moving a bit, and moaning. Another, and there was Ed, passed out and alive and _whole_. Roy smiled in giddy joy and pocketed the stone in his jacket pocket, zipping it up. His job was done. Then he was out.

xXx

When he came to again, a pale green ceiling welcomed him. He was groggy, and the room spun as he turned his head to see what was beside him. The light irritated his eyes, and he couldn't see past the table at his side. Everything was fuzzy. He closed his eyes and a cough overtook him, and then the pain hit sharply and he choked on his own cry.

A rummage and hurried steps before he was being washed down with something cool. A prickling in his arm hurt more than he knew it did, but then everything was bliss, and he was gone again.

xXx

Ed woke up and shot up straight as an arrow. He was alive, away from the overwhelming heat and sand, he was alive and comfortable and where the fuck was Al? "Al!" He hollered, jumping up and out of the bed, already out the door.

Hawkeye hurried to him through the corridor, eyes blazing in anger and he stopped in his tracks. "Riza where is Al?" His stomach was turning inside out, and he felt like vomiting, so desperate was hi fear.

"He's in the room adjacent to yours, sleeping." She stepped back and looked him up and down. "you did it Ed, you kept your promise." She smiled slightly and as Ed looked himself over, disbelief in his face, she looked quite sad.

"Where's mustang? Why did he leave you here?" he asked. Still not believing that what he had dreamed about was really here, done.

"he's in the room down the hall. Try to keep it down will you?" She hummed and walked him to the door of what appeared to be Al's room. "he was there completely, so he's a bit malnourished, needs to stay sedated for a while. Theyre doing all the tests they can, hoping there would be no permanent damage anywhere. But other than worn out, he is fine too." She made to go, but Ed grabbed her arm. "Am I dreaming?" he whispered, looking through the little door window. There was his brother, whole and human and it was _done. _

"No Mr. Elric, I don't believe you are." She smiled again. "you should rest yourself though, from what we saw when we arrived to pick up you three, you all went through some horrible episode. Although I'm glad at least you two are ok." She turned now, and walked back down the hall to the waiting Huges. The whispered something, and the man shook his head and walked off, leaving hawkeye to walk into the room and quietly shut the door. Ed couldn't move away from the door of his brothers room. They had done it! He didn't remember how, or what happened, but they had done it! He wanted to run around, whoop in joy and scream, but instead went into his room and found his clothes, washed and folded, and changed into them quickly. By the time the doctor arrived, he was done and emerged from the side bathroom, a bit washed up and hair tied back.

"looks like you can go mr. Elric." The doctor smiled. Your brother will remain here for about another week, the mission really tested you all. In fact, you are very lucky you didn't end up like Colonel Mustang. Don't mix yourselves into those kinds of fights." The gray head shook exhasperadely, and then he was free. And rushing down the hall, skidding to a stop before the door Riza had gone through.

He had foolishly assumed that Mustang was resting, perhaps tired out like he and Al had been. He could feel another presence before he passed out, but he assumed that they had come after everything was over. He knew from what the doctor said that it was far worse. He stood frozen in front of the door, afraid to open it, when Riza stepped out, surprised at seeing him there. "Ed…"

He was in that fast, skipping around her and finally coming face to face with the man himself. His eyes widened and he grasped the bed railing as he stunmbeld around the side. He didn't know where to look first, there were bandages covering the bare torso. Mustang was asleep, IV sticking out of his arm and other cables and attatchments were sticking from every which direction. "Oh God…" he whispered to himelf, afraid to touch.

"We found him with the both of you, he was almost all bled out, looks like a shot through his side. barely missed his heart, grazed a lung and broke a couple of ribs. Besides that, he's weak. He wasn't breathing when we arrived."

"Who did this? How did this happen? And how did you know where we were?" Ed slumped into the chair beside him, he ran one finger along the smooth arm. He had come so close to losing this man, how did it happen?

"he and I followed you through the tunnels, but then he ordered me to call for backup and went on alone. When we arrived, we followed his tracks and some light that was still being given out by the sign you two created. Ed looked at her and realised her anger. "It's all my fault isn't it?" He shuddered. "Oh God, its all my fault." He ran a hand over his hair, messing it up.

"he's stable now, I was just going to grab something to drink, I've been up all night. Would you mind watching him for me a minute?"

Ed nodded, not looking up and Riza slipped out quietly. He looked back then, making sure the door was locked, and leaned over the prone body further. He hovered with his ear over the chest, he could hear shallow breathing, could almost hear the heart beating. He sat back down and not knowing what to do, took hold of one pale arm. He gently moved the fingers to his lips and kissed each and every one. And then again. Nuzzling his cheek into the cool palm.

He had never, ever let anyone realise this, not even himself, fully. But seeing the man almost die because of him, that shook Ed to the very core. He wanted the eyes to open, to acknowledge him, and yet he knew that when they did it would be back to formalities again. This was quite possibly the only moment in his life where he could taste the skin that had over the course of recent years become so dear to him without fear of being rejected. No, he thought, rejected is someone whom would actually say what he felt. He knew he couldn't do that either. Mustang was a certified womanizer, and every female in central had wet dreams that Colonel Roy Mustang personally starred in. well, every female and Ed.

He had found himself kissing the crook of the inside arm, actually laving at the dip. The veins pulsed gently beneath his tongue and just like that, he was hard. And felt like shit. He rested his forehead against the side of the bed, unable to let go of the hand just yet. How could he ever possibly make it up to the man? He knew somehow, that Mustang was deeper in this than everyone thought. He had felt failure as soon as he laid his hands on the alchemy. How did this switch into success?

Deep in his stomach another worry coiled. Had Roy been hurt thus trying to save them? If so, he had succeeded, ad was the most courageous man Ed would ever meet.

The door creaked and Ed jumped up a bit, putting space between himself and the colonel.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hello everyone! Long time ne? Here's another chappie to keep ya'll happy !:) **

"Mr. Elric, _please…"_

The exasperated voice of the doctor rang out in the room as he slipped on a fallen book. "I can't have you living in a hospital room without reason."

Ed looked up momentarily, tearing out his eyes from a thick yellow volume he was leafing through. "I'm quiet, I don't loiter around and I only took up a corner of this room Doc, not to mention Lieutenant Hawkeye ordered a private room for Mustang so…."

"So you sir, are missing the meaning of the word _private_." The Doctor gave Ed a sour look. "I declare I haven't seen a stranger sight in the five years I have worked here."

Indeed, the room was a mess. Ed had taken permanent residence in Mustang's hospital room deciding that since it was large and with the exception of Mustang, uninhabited, it was allright to live in until the man woke up. He'd checked up on Al regularly, but since he was being kept in an induced coma for safety's sakes, he wasn't all too worried. It was that and some quick trips to the library across the square from which he came loaded with thick tomes and heavy volumes with which he had built a fortified wall. Ed didn't peek out from behind this unless absolutely necessary, piling read and useless books behind the wall. The amount of which caused the tottering pile to collapse as the doctor came in to make his regular rounds of patients.

"Doc, is there really a problem with me staying here? At least you can be sure if anything goes shitty I'll be here to let you know." The doctor didn't look convinced and if anything, he looked pissed. He quickly checked the status report and poked around the man under the watchful eye of Ed.

"I'd appreciate it Major, if you would at least not glare at me, I'm by no means going to hurt the General."

Ed looked away quickly, pretending to read once more. The doctor left in haste, not sparing the blonde any more words. Ed looked up to the figure of Roy. It's been three days and still there was no sign of him waking up. He got up and groaned, stretching his aching legs. Then he sat himself in the chair beside the bed. He'd done this so many times now that it was a simple and natural gesture. He'd grabbed everything that seemed remotely able to explain what had happened in the desert and was in fact pouring over old texts and figures. Some of them he recognized and some were entirely new. Those he decided to learn just in case and he was working on that now. There was something odd about the transmutation circle he had activated then and he couldn't quite put his finger on it yet.

He had however, found a book on Alchemical types and cores. The basics were based on Water, Earth, Air and Fire. He'd known Roy's alchemy was spectacular and rare but he had no idea just how so, and how destructive it had the potential to be. He doubted even Roy himself knew the extent of that alchemy. He'd never seen the three other elements in use by anyone but he supposed that would be possible if one would base the finding on Roy. For now, other than data and facts, he had nothing but a uncomfortable feeling that things were going to get ugly.

xXx

For days now all Roy felt was a dull throb around the vicinity of his heart. There was no pain, no sound or sight. There was only this and it alone assured him that he wasn't dead yet. He had, if he remembered correctly, only used the stone twice.

He was hovering in darkness peacefully and thinking over everything that had happened. He was in deep shit, and he realized that now. He had no way of knowing whether his deal was done fair and if truth be told, it was all Edward's fault. The overzealous blonde had thrown himself headfirst into a situation he knew nothing about. But that was Ed, do first, think later. He couldn't be mad at him, he'd made the choice consciously after all and he didn't regret it one bit. Though he would have liked the whole situation to never have happened. The boys should have known better not to try shit they didn't know, since it was what landed them where they were in the first place. Now however, well, now Roy was in it too and he was debating heavily with himself whether he should tell Ed and Al what really happened.

They deserved some sort of truth, but he honestly couldn't see how he could give them that without them figuring out the rest. Mostly, he was afraid that Ed would try to fix what had happened. He dreaded the consequences of another such quest. Ed had a tendency to not think about himself when determined. He felt sure that the blonde would give up everything to repair what was done and Roy had enough sense to know that it could never be done, even if some white little man told him otherwise.

Decided then, he'd play the amnesia card. He could easily pull it off. The accident had been stressful and he could easily say he didn't remember shit. It was better that way, if anything, he'd keep the brothers safe. An image of Ed flashed before him and he felt a tug in his belly. The yearning seemed to propel him forward as if to the surface of a lake and then _pain._

xXx

It was day five, tomorrow they would be waking up Al and there was Ed. More disheveled than ever, deep into reading and grumbling to himself when the hoarse intake of breath caught him unawares.

He flew to the bed and hollered over his shoulder, hoping anyone would hear. Hawkeye burst into the room, closely followed by the doctor and two nurses who got to work quickly an efficiently. Ed kicked the books to the side of the wall in order to give them more room. He was beside Hawkeye, hands clutching the bed footboard and drilling a hole into the face scrunched up in pain.

"We cannot let him get away now, he's been in this state for way too long." The doctor barked out orders in a demanding tone while the nurses sped up their works. A needle was inserted into the pale arm and a shudder ran through Ed's spine. He remembered the salty texture of the crevice exactly and just thinking there was something there to pierce it had him queasy and furious. At himself, mostly.

"Will he be…?" He can't bring himself to say it. He's afraid that the answer is going to be devastating.

"if he doesn't fall back into a coma then yes." She tries to give him a look of assurance, there is no place for a smile. She swiftly flies past him and joins the other nurse at the beeping machine. The beeps speed up and so does the beating of Edward's heart. He's praying, and he catches himself in fright. That had never occurred before. Through all the shit he's been dragged through, he'd never once found himself muttering _"Oh please God, save him…"_ he's moored to the bed, can't move a muscle and finally, FINALLY one eye breaks open and then the other, they stay on him for about two seconds and they close again. And he knows he's safe. The nervous laughs of the doctor and nurses tell him all he has to know. They too, weren't sure if this was going to be a breaking point. But it was.. .Goddamnit it was and with a deep, tired sigh the man before him laid in a deep slumber, no longer comatose.

xXx

Roy was weak, now that he was back from his inner head he felt like he had the whole world laid atop him. The doctor seemed to understand exactly what it was that was bothering him because even though Roy had no power to speak, the tall, graying man in the lab coat knew exactly.

"you were shot sir, and broken ribs were the last of your problems. Besides the significant bloodloss that led to your coma, your lung was pierced . You will not object then, to staying here and then on rehabilitation for a good while before I can agree to you returning to active duty.

He didn't get even a chance to nod. "He agrees to everything doc, how long is he going to stay here?"

There was no way to throw Ed a scathing look and have him notice, although the doctor did. Roy could see by his slight chuckle that he'd caught his protest. "You, Mr. Elric, are not the best authority on following orders, as you are sure I'm aware."

He couldn't help that snort, and this time he caught Ed's furious golden eyes. He stopped short by a flutter in his chest before he was saved by the doctor. "In any case, I'm glad to have your determined friend on my side general, as you can see", he added, gesturing to the pile of books in the corner of the room. "Mr. Elric has determination enough for half the Amestrian army, I think he's too much even for you."

Roy nodded at that, turning his head slowly to eye the hefty pile of heavy volumes. He was surprised that they were all piled around the second bed in the room. He raised his eyebrow in question.

"Mr. Elric has made this his permanent home since he had woken up, about a week ago. No amount of persuasion could get him to leave." He saw by the peevish look in the Doctors eyes and Ed's slight smirk that many attempts at this have been tried.

"Water?" he croaked, to hide his sudden flaring of cheek. He hadn't blushed in … he never blushed, and yet this simple affirmation of Ed's loyalty had him flaming up. It took an eye blink to get Ed, who was standing cross armed by the doctor at the foot of his bed to spring into action. Grabbing a paper cup and turning to the small adjoining bathroom. He heard the tap run and he finally emerged with a filed cup.

He observed this action with as much interest as the doctor did. Who likewise, raised an eyebrow and quietly slipped out.

Ed leaned his hip on the bed and Roy felt a large, warm hand behind his head, lifting and tilting him to the cup held out to him. He felt helpless and he didn't like it but if there was anyone who understood that hate better than him it was Ed. He let himself be mothered by the absolute last person anyone would expect.

Short of Al, Ed seldom showed any emotions that bordered on affection to anyone. And especially not between himself and Roy. They bickered, fought, ironically grated each other but that was as far as Roy perceived they went. Ed had never shown any inclination of favour for him and as his superior, he couldn't honestly expect any. Still, it was… nice.

He gulped down a few times and was gently laid on his pillow once more. He sighed relief, his ribcage still hurt like hell. "How's Al?" he whispered out. Speaking at a normal tone still caused pain.

"They're waking him up later on today, Im to be notified of it so I can be there." Ed put the cup on the little side table to Roy's right and looked at his chest and finally fully into his face and eyes. Roy found speech impossible. "How do you feel?" the golden eyes paced back and forth between his lips and eytes, looking for answers.

"I've been better." Roy smirked. "Tired though…"

"No shit, when I first saw you, you were almost completely covered by bandages…" He didn't finish the sentence. Choosing to just look at Roy instead.

"I'm still covered by them Ed, almost completely." Roy noted, trying to lighten up the mood. "Look like a goddamned mummy."

"I prayed…"

That stopped him. "you did what?" He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Ed wasn't looking at him anymore, his gaze was outside the window, but his hand was on his wrist, squeezing gently. "Not like I had some sort of epiphany or anything, but when you gasped out like that and they were trying to get you to wake up… I asked fucking God to help…"

"Thank you then." Roy honestly had nothing to say. As far as he was concerned, Ed didn't believe in shit, and neither did he, really, if it's what it came down to. Still…

"I didn't even do that when Al was taken, and I lost my arm and leg… I was just cursing then, and now, I dunno.. I was feeling so helpless I had to call for help."

"You don't sound pleased with yourself."

'I'm not, I don't ask for help, especially not some nonexistent God…"

"But you did, for me… thank you." Roy had honestly nothing to say still, it was surprising and revealed the blonde on a level he never thought he would see if he wasn't bandaged up to his nose and barely breathing.

"I felt helpless…" Ed repeated. "Just as helpless as when I laid my hands on that transmutation circle." Their eyes met again and Roy could feel Ed prying into his mind, trying to read him for information.

"I don't remember anything Ed. But by the looks of it, you did it."

**AN: Yosh.. taking forever but here you go! **


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Song: New Divide- Linkin Park**

Roy couldn't tell him the truth. Not after he'd seen the bewildered look in the usually defiant eyes. Ed had confessed to something that for him must have been groundbreaking. In Ed's conviction, asking for help was unthinkable. Roy suspected it was partly his pride, but mostly it was Ed's paralyzing fear of hurting someone; even if indirectly, the blonde always managed to find a way to blame himself.

Unfortunately for Ed, he had more friends and people that cared than he would be comfortable with. And that was just it. Roy went over the whole ordeal in his head again. He had just bartered away his soul and though his lung was punctured and he was slathered in bandages and sharply smelling ointments, though he was barely awake and weak as shit, he knew if he had the chance, he'd do it all over again.

So when Ed confessed, when he looked at him like _that…_the words came naturally. "You did it, Ed."

They stopped for a second, Roy's breath frozen, looking right into Ed's eyes and willing him to believe the lie.

It worked, because Ed fell into a chair and breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't remember shit though. The last time, well, I remembered everything and now I don't. Its like the film cut the moment I touched that design."

"Maybe it was stress?" Roy rasped out, his chest was beginning to hurt but he was unwilling to press the button that would inject him with morphine. Ed was rarely talkative, and this chat was so unlike him that Roy couldn't let himself end it. It was almost a given that when he woke up next Ed would be himself again, whatever feelings of guilt Ed had, Roy hoped his admitting Ed had saved his brother and himself would put them at ease. But ease meant a much less approachable Ed, and this was…nice.

Ed had his head on his hand and was looking at Roy sideways. "maybe… I did some research while you were out, fire alchemy is pretty damn powerful, bet you don't know some stuff I found out."

Roy's spine shot frozen waves of panic. "Why were you researching my alchemy?" He heaved his head up to glare at the blonde and groaned at the sledgehammer pain that shot through his head. He began to cough and that set off his chest. "Fuck." He moaned as he fell back down into his pillows. Ed was at his side in an instant, looking up and down his body as if he could grab the problem and beat it. "You ok? Ill call the doc-"

"don't," Roy gasped out, "Im fine."

Ed still looked at him with disbelief, but sat tentatively in the chair at his side. His eyes travelled along the length of Roy's arm and back, Roy's bruised skin tingled under the stare and he licked his dry lips.

Ed took his hand in his and began to run small, assuring circles over the palm and Roy didn't have the strength to squeeze him in thanks. His mind flitted to the stone he knew was in his coat pocket. It was hanging in the corner of the room, looking innocent enough. He thought fleetingly that he could get out of this predicament in a flash, and then thought better of it. There was no point healing himself to have his soul sucked out for some freak. He'd use it as a last resort, and he knew very well it wasn't going to be himself he'd be using it on.

"Hey Mustang," Ed's quiet voice brought him out of his thoughts. "You freaked out when I told you I was looking into your alchemy, why?"

Roy scoured his brain for a quick response. "I didn't freak out, Fullmetal, I was simply surprised and as a result, the open hole in my chest decided to let me know not to… besides," he locked eyes with Ed. "Why would you want to anyway?"

Ed shrugged, turning his attention once again to Roy's palm. "I just felt compelled to, as if somehow, I could help you by knowing you better. Like, as soon as I saw you, I knew that was what I was going to have to do. It's been pulling at me all this time, like there's something that I'm supposed to _know_." He looked at Roy, whose eyes were intently searching for a more detailed answer. "Hey Mustang?"

"Hmm?" Roy didn't have the strength to answer him anymore, it was leaking out of him.

"If you remember anything, anything at all, will you let me know?"

Roy could only nod, closing his eyes and letting his breathe escape out of him in a small trickle. He felt liquid shot into his arm and creaked an eye open to look at the blonde. He was smiling faintly. "Ok, that's all I needed to know."

xXx

Ed made sure Roy was fast asleep when he got up to leave. He turned once in the door to survey the room. His eyes fell to the pile of books he'd been working on and a chilling thought crossed his mind. By all accounts, Ed should have set up camp in Al's room. Al was the main reason from their expedition and as a result of Ed's incompetence, now lay comatose. Granted, Ed decided, peeking at his watch. Only for another 7 minutes, but still, the point was that he'd left his brother on his own while he took care of Mustang. The only thought that made him feel better was that while Mustang was awake some of the time, Al was not and was not going to be until the doctor decided it was safe. There, excuse all set.

He slipped in quietly behind Hawkeye, who turned to him and smiled gently, pushing him up to the from of the small group of nurses gathered around the doctor and she in turn, disappeared. Ed was sure she was going to peek in to see on Mustang and Ed felt more assured knowing there was someone watching the bastard.

The doctor looked up as he squeezed in beside him and nodded as he took out the first needle and inserted another. Ed watched with bated breath for any signs of stirring. The doctor watched as well, monitoring the screen connected to his brother and keeping a hand on the machine just in case of any sudden emergency.

Nothing happened. Al slipped from the drug induced sleep into his own without so much as an eye movement. The doctor announced that the procedure was successful, that Al was now on his own, and besides the still much needed fluid vitamins and nutrients, Al would be in overall fine condition when he would awake.

"So that's it?" Ed grumbled. "He won't wake up now? I thought you were going to wake him up."

"What I said, Mr. Elric, was that I'd bring him into his own terms, waking him from a drug induced coma, not sleep. That, your brother will do when he is good and ready, and as far as I'm concerned, the more sleep he gets before he has to put up with your attitude and hardheadedness, the better." The spectacles the doctor wore flashed dangerously at a glaring Ed.

"Keep in mind Major, I _can_ get you out of here by force, so behave… and clean up that tower of piza you've erected in the Generals room." He added as a haughty afterthought before sweeping out of the room.

"See Al? They treat me like a child still." He smiled at his brothers passive, calm face and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Sleep tight little bro." he whispered and quietly went out.

Hawkeye was just where he expected her, in Roy's room. She took herself to one of the chairs and hauling it beside the small desk in the room, had her feet up on that, reading from one of Ed's books.

"Hey." Ed greeted quietly as he stepped in and around her, sitting beside her himself. "Enjoying yourself?"

She looked at him and smiled lightly, "I remember this book from my Father's study."

Ed was positively thrilled. "You know something about these? Brilliant, I didn't know you did alchemy too."

She shook her head. "I don't. My father was a fire alchemist, but he went out of his way to destroy anything on the actual art of manipulating fire."

Ed looked over to the pile of books in the corner. "I don't think he did a very good job of it though, did he? All these are on fire alchemy."

The woman laughed quietly and closed the book she was holding. "Have you found even one complete alchemical circle with which you might start to actually learn it though? There's theory and then there's practice. As far as I'm concerned, Mustang is the last fire alchemist."

Ed's eyes widened at that. "you're kidding right? I mean, I knew that it was rare and shit, but I'm sure there has to be someone else out there…"

She looked at him with full conviction. "There isn't."

Ed grew serious. "Why not?"

She scratched her head and looked away, towards the dimming sunshine that wa starveling towards the end of the day. The city outside was awash with crimson light, small birds zipping past their windows, thin shrieks reaching their ears faintly. Ed suddenly felt very tired and old.

"Well, Fire is the hardest element to control, so there's that. But I suppose the other reason is that my father went out of his way to destroy all evidence he could get his hands on that could have someone learning how to become one."

"So how is Mustang one?"

"My Father passed it down to him and him alone. And erased all the details of the alchemical designs that would be needed to create more."

"So what's on his gloves then?"

She smiled and looked at Ed then. "Its actually quite smart. You can control your alchemy without signs right? Well, It's a bit like that with Roy. The signs on the gloves are merely spark igniters. You can light a fire without being able to manipulate it's form, that's basic alchemy. But what Roy can do is manipulate that spark to his desire. Its like imagining an alchemical design in your head and bringing it into life. Its very hard, but my Father made it clear that if he could not accomplish in in that form, he would not train him. Roy promised, and for the next 3 years put his all into doing just that."

Ed was thoughtful for a moment. The new information raced through his head and he was beginning to grasp just how extraordinary Roy was. He had never given him more credit for his alchemical skills that to any of the other State alchemists, didn't even bother looking at his gloves to check them out. But this was fascinating.

"So he can do what I and Al can do?"

"With one design, yes."

"But that's weird, if he can do it with one, what's stopping him from doing them all?

Hawkeye shrugged. "perhaps it is something personal, but I think it's just that he wasn't born a genius and didn't have the pleasure of meeting the gate."

Ed felt goosebumps at just the mention of the gate. "I can't remember anything that happened after we set off that array. I don't know about Al, but Mustang can't remember anything either. I'm just left with this fantastical urge to research fire alchemy! I can't get the need for it outta my head!" he sat with his head between his hands. "this is fucked up." He sighed finally and threw a glance at Hawkeye, who was watching him intently.

"Fire alchemy is exceptionally powerful, and people look to power altogether too many times for the wrong reasons. Fire feeds on oxygen Ed, right? As long as oxygen is given, fire can burn, it can expand. Roy could kill off the entire country at a snap of his finger. Can you understand that, Its boundless, the power he has and when you have power that is boundless, you have to have a solid mind and tons of self restraint. Most people don't, Roy is one of few people I know that can control himself under any circumstance. My Father trusted him and so do I." She smiled at Ed and squeezed his hand. "Do you understand Ed? It's best to leave it alone."

Ed nodded, but in reality his mind was wheeling with ideas, theories, and possibilities. "Roy is in constant danger isn't he then, who wouldn't want that kind of freedom?"

"My father managed to rather, erm, deplete… the number of people who knew the full extent of the possibility of the fire alchemist. I'm quite sure there are not many people that know about this. But Ed, what we said here can't be repeated anywhere."

Ed nodded. He understood. But his worry seemed to only increase. The tension in the pit of his stomach increased, his pulse quickened. He felt like he was going to be hit by a panic attack.

He was thrown into blackness, into freezing water and a black so tangled he couldn't move and then, just as if he'd have slammed into a marble floor, he was stable and lying in front of something… Something standing high and very close to him and he rather felt than saw it… The outline, the very sketch of the gate… hidden in the immense blackness, a quiet scream. It started as a whisper against his skin and build in power, finally pounding into his ears and it was a while before he realized it was his own screams.

He was thrown back into consciousness like a fish out of water, gasping for air and drained in sweat. He sat up in the hospital bed and looked around like a wild animal, scared, furious and hurting all over. Hawkeye was standing over him, accompanied by about three nurses and a pissed off looking doctor. He looked beside him and there in the bed beside his lay Roy, his eyes wide with fear and uncertainty.

Ed fell back into his pillows, whimpering at his hurting ribs. "The gate…" he rasped out. "Its trying to tell me something."

**AN: OKAYYYYYYYy hows that for an update! :P Love you all! **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: A short update, Im drowning in work here! -.- **

Wall, shit didn't get more weird that _this. _Ed decided, as he was forcefully confined to bed once again. He could kind of understand the doctor forcing him down, since blacking out and spasming on the floor was probably never a good sign. Screaming didn't help either…

Still, he looked around glumly, eyeing his scattered books still on the floor, it was entirely useless, keeping him here. He was fine, it wasn't anything life threatening and now that the fit was over he felt fine, though a bit tired. He looked over to Roy, because he decidedly refused to be allotted to a single room, and sighed. Roy was fast asleep, and Ed enjoyed looking over his features ignited by the setting sun that blazed in through the window as it readied to set over central. The deep orange lit the ivory skin, giving him a tanned glow that lit up his face and made his hellishly handsome features look younger than he'd ever seen them. Ed chuckled, imagining the gloating Roy would raise at being considered young, which he was for the most part anyways. Ed turned on his side and let his eyes roam the sharp edges and full lips that shouldn't have been allowed to look so tempting.

He flushed just thinking about running his tongue over them. Who would stop him really, he noted that there was no one watching them anyways, and if he just slid out of bed and _touched… _

And Roy, as if on cue, stirred and cracked his eye open, regarding him sleepily. Ed was frozen with relief. If he had slipped out and done that.. well, clearly Roy was not as deeply asleep as Ed would have liked and it would have been one fucked up situation.

The eye was still regarding him, so he smirked and asked Roy if there was anything he needed.

"I don't think they pulled in a bed in here just to make you comfortable, am I right Ed? Roy smirked, or got as close as he could to a smirk without provoking his pounding head.

"You need a change of staff Mustang, your doctors are shit." Ed sighed. "They forced me into bedrest because of a faint."

Roy looked alert all of a sudden, even trying to sit up. He pulled himself a bit up and hissed in pain as Ed groaned and rolled his eyes in exasperation before he slid out of bed and sauntered pointedly up to him. He placed one metal finger on Roy's forehead and pushed (albeit gently) successfully stopping Roy in his attempts to rile up. "Stop fucking around Colonel. Im fine and dandy and they freaked for no reason." He sat on the edge of Roy's bed.

"So why didn't they ship your ass off to Al?" Roy shot back, pissed as hell that he was so weak as to not be able to fight that small pressure.

Ed flushed scarlet beautifully, and Roy appreciated the tint of skin and eyes that were suddenly a bit too bright. Ed didn't meet his gaze, but the tiny stutter and chuckle in his voice told him plenty. "Al's still sleeping, the shithead, and that's hardly pleasant company when you're forced to lay around like a fucking idiot."

"So I'm now considered pleasant company. Well, well, we have evolved." Roy laughed quietly. And a bit louder till, as Ed flashed him a killing stare. "I'm honoured Ed, that you think me fitting."

"Oh stop the jokes." Ed growled, still flushed.

Roy looked up to him, Ed looked embarrassed. "You've been here from the very start, and I am not joking when I say I'm honoured. More than honoured Ed…" He lifted his hand, palm up, beckoning for Ed to hold him. The blonde turned a deeper shade of red Roy had ever seen or though the blonde capable of, but he placed his flesh hand tentatively on top of his, eyeing him warily.

Roy raised it slowly to his face, nudging it open with his nose and burying his cheek in the cupped hand, finally placing a chaste kiss on the inside. He heard Ed's breath hitch in his throat and the hand shuddered under his lips. "More than honoured, I am grateful."

Ed turned his palm and squeezed Roy's hand in his, leaning closer. He opened his mouth and was about to say something when three smart raps on the door resounded in their quiet and were followed by Lieutenant Hawkeye, who stopped right in her tracks. Roy's hand was still in Ed's and he noted with a pleasant sensation in his chest that Ed did nothing to break away as the door opened. He regarded Riza with polite attention, as if daring her to comment. Hawkeye had more sense than that though, and after roving her eyes over them both, declared that Al had just woken up and the hall was clear if Ed would wish to sneak in and see his brother quickly. "Before the doctor skins me for even telling you." She huffed at him and Ed bolted for the door, but not before stopping in the doorframe and looking back at Roy. His eyes held a strange cocktail of apology, happiness and if Roy read the blonde correctly, desire. And that was something he would get to explore after he was out of here. Then Ed was gone and Roy was grinning stupidly at his friend, bodyguard and Lieutenant, who crossed looked to him as if he was not quite all up there.

xXx

Ed ran into his brother's room grinning like a madman and threw himself into a very surprised and human Al. "Brother!" The blonde huffed as he dropped the juicebox that he was sipping on, embracing his older brother as tightly as his weak state allowed.

"God… Al, we fucking did it!" Ed had tears in his eyes as he looked at the eyes that were just a shade darker than his own, at the hair that was more tan, caramel coloured in contrast with his vivid gold. He burrowed his face into Al's chest and inhaled the human scent of his brother for the first time in years. "I never though this day would come… not really… though I hoped, and I could never say it out loud until now and it feels…_good_." He shuddered as he inhaled a shaky breath.

Al stroked the long hair and smiled broadly. "Well, we're here now, you and me and _whole_ Ed. No more regrets dumbass, it's done." He felt Ed nod eagerly before he sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "Feel like a fucking idiot, going all soft like that." He laughed. "How you feeling?"

"Well," Al nodded to the crumpled juicebox on the floor. "I'd feel better if the first thing I got wasn't _that." _ He looked mildly repulsed. "I hate apple juice and they don't think I should eat anything just yet. My stomach isn't used to it."

Ed nodded in agreement. "I'll try sneaking about and bringing you something better later."

"So…" Al looked around the room. "Where's your shit? I know you brother, if you're not bedbound by straps then you're hoarding books somewhere." Ed coughed insistently and Al raised an eyebrow at the slight blush that dusted the tanned cheeks.

"Well, I've been hoarding them in Mustang's room, since that's where I'm staying…" He waved off Al's sly chuckle. "You were sleeping and if Mustang isn't my beloved little bro, he's company I could talk to, at least until now." He clapped his hands together. "Ill move in immediately until you're better." He made to stand and was caught off guard by Al's feeble grasp. "Don't Ed, stay with him." Ed was about to protest but Al cut him off with a sharp glance. "Don't even argue. I'm gonna be here for a while, until I'm strong enough to walk, and that will take some time. For now, I'm mostly sleepy and I'm sure you don't want to be holed up with me without really talking."

"Don't be stupid Al, like fuck Im leaving you alone in here."

"Ed, Im going to be fine. Besides, you've got duties, remember? I don't think Mustang, with all the serious injuries he's got will be here longer than I nonetheless, so at least you can do paperwork together or something… I'm across the goddamn hall Ed, not across the country." Al yawned, waving Ed off. "Tell Mustang that when he can walk again to peek in. I need to thank him."

Ed's bafflement missed Al, he was asleep that fast.

xXx

"Well that was fast." Roy smiled as Ed stumbled in. His expression a cocktail of joy and wonder. Just to see that face on Edward, Roy decided was worth all the trouble. "I thought you weren't going to leave Al's side, now that he's back."

Ed shrugged and heaved himself onto the bed beside Roy's. he shrugged. "He's sleeping again… thought I'd puke with happiness when I saw him smiling at me." He chuckled. "Its so surreal, you know. I never really thought this time would come."

"But it did, Ed." Roy smiled warmly, shivering under the look Ed threw him. Warm and pleased – truly happy. He wished he'd look like that at him not because of Al, but that was too much hope indeed. Ed was just as obsessed about his brother now as he was before. "You can put it all behind you now and concentrate on your assignments, perhaps even writing up a decent report once in a while, though Im not getting my hopes up."

Ed snorted. "Don't, that's not likely to happen."

Roy's stomach was killing him. A sharp pain somewhere above his hip bone and _deep. _But he couldn't bring himself to ruin the moment with a call for nurse. He just took in the beauty of Ed when not scowling or overthinking. This was a rare sight, but Ed was looking at the ceiling and smiling like a cat that just devoured a bowl of cream. He looked…_content. _

"So I assume that you want to grab all your stuff and haul it across the hall? Roy ventured. "Now that Al is awake I'm sure you'll find me inadequate company."

Ed turned to him, head propped on his hand and looked. Looked hard. And it was difficult for Roy to keep his eye contact as steady as he did, though he broke a sweat from the sharpness and brilliance that only Ed possessed. He kept his face composed. A perfect mask indeed, looking mildly curious and as uncaring as he could make it.

"I don't think I need to actually, it's just across the hall, like you said and besides, Al is so weak that he's mostly just resting up, though he did manage to whine about the food or rather, lack thereof." Ed grinned. "Naw, I'm staying right here bastard."

Roy was surprised and pleased but tried not to show it. "As you please Ed, I should thank you for your company actually, everyone is busy running my errands for me… Though Hawkeye did promise to bring in some paperwork as soon as she deems me appropriately ready for the job.

"Let me know in advance, so I can clear out." Ed laughed. "Wouldn't want to disturb ya. Oh, and also, Al said that when you feel like walking again, that he needs to see you. To thank you."

Roy tried t=not to twitch, telling himself that bolting out of the bed might not be a hint he'd like to give Ed. How much did Al remember? And How much did he let slip? His voice sounded nonchalant as he asked, "And what did he want to thank me for, did he say?"

"Nah, he was gone too quick. I suspect for all those years you looked out for us, like just now… You helped us so damn much Mustang, I don't know how I'll ever repay you." He looked over once again, eyes burning with something Roy couldn't place. "Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

This was not how Roy imagined recuperating. He was supposed to be resting and he'd hoped it would be mental as well as physical. This clearly was going to happen. His mind kept wandering to Al, how much he knew… what did he remember? Shit, if Al even so much as hinted at knowing, Ed would catch on like lightning. \

It was predawn, and these worries kept the Colonel up. He was exhausted, but not one eye would flitter closed. He was greeted instead, but soft pink hues of dawn, sneaking in through the shutters and cheerfully bounding off the bed. He groaned in despair contemplating his chances of successfully getting out of bed and getting to Al. He figured it would hurt like hell, and possibly do some damage, but it could be done, it _would_ be done if this was war. And in a way it was, a war of wills between himself and the blonde or at least it would be if Ed even suspected… Roy shuddered at the thought. He didn't sacrifice this damn much for Ed to run off again, and run off he would, if not out of anger than to find some solution to the newly arisen problem.

He eyed Ed's sleeping form tenderly. The blonde was curled on his side like a kitten, facing him. The band keeping the famous Elric braid had come undone and the gold tresses swallowed up the hospital pillow in a wave of gold. Roy's gut panged in want, he could see himself running his fingers through them and shivered in pleasure at the very thought. The image of a flushed Ed from yesterday hand at his lips brought on an uncalled for hardness between his thighs. Well, Roy thought, as he tented the sheet to check if it was very visible, he was glad it was early and no nurse would come in for another two hours at best.

"What the hell are you doing Colonel?"

Roy's head snapped up as his head went absolutely blank of any decent explanation. Ed's husky morning voice flowed over him and he didn't miss the mean chuckle that followed as Ed stretched out lazily and arched his back, moaning as the tightness left his body.

Roy's mind flashed to the zoo trip he was invited to last year. Officially, the Amestrian Zoo opened up and all the higher ranks were to attend. Roy was fascinated by a few of the animals, especially the Tiger; it outstripped the pack of Lions in weight and in bearing. It was regal, and usually solitary. Though the big cat was an accomplished killer, it was stretched out on the ground in the most lazy of positions, eyeing the people that hoarded around it with distaste.

That was Ed, Roy realized. Minus the stripes.

Roy glowered at the chuckling blonde, realizing with a heavy heart that if he hoped for a chance to get rid of his erection previously, there would be little chance of that now.

Ed flashed him a grin so catlike that Roy rolled his eyes at his own fate. "I was checking my bandages, if you must know." He huffed back, trying not to grin at his flash of genius.

Ed's eyebrows shot up in obvious disbelief, but he wasn't pushing the argument. Instead, he slid into a sitting position and ran a hand through his hair. "Ugh, feels like I haven't washed in a month." He groaned. "Is there a bathroom anywhere around here?"

"There is" Roy nodded, plan already brewing. "But you'll have to take a trip trhee floors down from here. Its in the basement, and there's also a cafeteria." He added, with a pleasant voice. "Knock yourself out."

"I'll try not to." Ed chuckled and grabbed his coat as he went, throwing it on before his hand touched the door. "Is there anything you need Colonel? Something you want?"

Roy smiled in gratitude. Ed's show of concern was touching, especially since he'd never seen the Blonde go out of his way for anyone other than Al. "Ill be fine, go."

Ed nodded and slipped out quietly, and this was exactly what Roy wanted. Technically, there was a bathroom on every floor of the Hospital, but directing Ed to the one furthest down not only spared his some extra time, but the cafeteria added a buffer Ed wuldnt be able to resist. Battle stratedy at it's finest, Roy patted himself on the back mentally and began to check for what he could unplug out of himself first. There were two tubes in his right arm, and a thimble thing on his middle finger. He quickly got rid of it all and proceeded to unstuck the shit that was glued to his chest. Job completed, he looked around for a crutch or something of the sort; nothing.

xXx

This was much fucking harder than he imagined it to be. His legs gave out almost as soon as he tried to get up, and besides the striking pain in his side, his head begun to hammer away like a construction site.

"damn damn _damn_" he whispered to himself all the way to the door. A feat he managed by shuffling along the wall and taking way too long for his liking. But it was done, he looked back to his bed with pride. Let Hawkeye call him a slacker _now._

Speaking of Hawkeye, he didn't know if there was anyone outside the door. He hoped not, though there must be someone hanging around because the woman would go mad just leaving him be. He cracked the door open and peeked out. The hall was dark, the night lights still on only every four lamps or so, and this provided him with extra camouflage that he would really need in crossing the hall with nothing to hold on to.

He'd overthunk this enough, Roy decided and without hesitation, stepped out.

This was a mistake he realized, since a whole other group of muscles was needed for perfect balance and his happened to be stitched and giving way. He realized when a drop of crimson appeared on his nightgown.

The four steps was excruciating, and Roy broke a sweat from both the pain and humiliation at being so incapable of movement. When his hand touched the handle to Al's room he heaved a loud sigh of relief. He slipped inside quickly.

The lights were off, and Al was snoring. Roy couldn't help but smile in happiness at seeing the boy in human form at last. Yes, everything was worth it after all, every last goddamned stitch.

He clicked on the table light and gently shook Al's arm as he slid into the bedside chair. He hoped Al wasn't a sound sleeper, because he was feeling woozy and had no clue how much before he'd pass out.

"Al, Al please wake up." He whispered, leaning over and smiled when Al's greenish eyes creaked and fluttered right open.

"Colonel!" he exclaimed, trying to readjust his position. Roy held him down. "No need for that Al, we haven't much time."

Al nodded, all of a sudden looking grave. "You've come to ask me… Ed, Ed doesn't know does he?"

Roy shook his head, relief flooding him over Al's judgement. "He doesn't remember any of it, thank God, or else he wouldn't be here, as you and I well know."

Al nodded. "I caught myself yesterday because he ran in almost crying, saying that we did it." He looked at Roy's bandages and the wound, which had gotten a bit bigger. "He said 'we' and I knew better." He looked into Roy's eyes – the same spark of intelligence his brother possessed, the same keen intellect… But Al didn't create that spark within Roy that Ed did, nor that rush of heady need. For Roy, Al was more like family.

"How much do you know then? How much do you remember?"

Al's eyes roamed the ceiling as he swallowed hard. "Everything…"

"You'll have to keep this a secret forever Al, as long as I'm alive, Ed must never learn of the deal."

"Don't even talk like that!" Al snapped, reminding Roy more of Ed than his usual composed nature. "It wont come to that…"

"If anything happens to any of you, I will use the third chance to help, don't count on it being any different Al, and then, well.. I don't know if I die, or if I have one more chance to go.. or maybe he just takes over my body.. I have no clue really, and that was bad planning on my part. But it was a chance I had to take to save you and Ed."

Al sat speechless, his hands were shaking slightly, and Roy covered them with his own, trying to be assuring. "You would have done the same for me, I know this, and it was high time to end this journey, you know that Al. Ed was killing himself trying anyway, and I don't believe there is a way to bring a body back without meddling in some serious stone business. I think the deal that was given me was possibly the easiest and safest way out of this. Though I do think it was premeditated by that thing; and that in itself is unnerving."

"Brother said that he dreamed it up, and then that letter…" Al frowned. "It knew you would come after us, and it _was_ you it wanted…" Al broke off, looking scared. "It knows us better than we thought it does… all of us."

Roy nodded. "Now I ask you again Al, keep Ed out of this, we will all live longer with him not knowing." He laughed gently, Al smiling faintly, as if through a haze of thoughts Roy knew were plaguing him already. "That goes for you too Al, you're no better than Ed when it comes to things like this. Don't try to make it better, it's the best we're going to get."

"And its your ass on the line now, and only yours." Al growled. When it was us, at least Ed and I had each other, we fucked up together and risked everything together. Who do you have Colonel?"

"Well, in my defense, my situation isn't anything like yours." Roy said, slightly ruffled by Al's condemning tone. "I'm still me."

"And you don't have to gamble your life to save anyone else's, of course, how stupid of me to even suggest it." Al's anger wasn't something Roy had planned on. He realized he wasn't at all prepared for that. "Ok, so I did what I think was right.. Al, listen to me." Roy leaned over and looked into his eyes. "I'd do it all, all again just to find myself sitting here with you bitching at me." He smiled. "It was well worth it."

Al flopped back into his pillow. "I'm not through with you yet Colonel. I just need to sleep on this for now." His eyes were already closing and his voice faint.

Roy nodded and stood – too quickly. He fell to the floor and hissed in pain as he felt something rip in his side. It was a small tingling and escalated to knife-like jolts. The light was on suddenly, and through a haze of pain he heard alarmed voices before he was out.

xXx

When he came to, there was silence, no people around him, though he was sure that there were many when he was last awake. He opened his eyes and the room spun quickly, he closed them and groaned. He opened them again and there was Fullmetal, standing over him, hands in pockets, glaring. "What the fuck were you thinking?" He hissed.

Roy was in no condition to answer, he felt like if he opened his mouth he'd be sick. He turned away his head and looked out the window. The sun was setting, so he'd been out a while then.

"This isn't the fucking evening you last woke up to, in case you were wondering."

Well damn, he's been out a bit longer then.

A finger came around, turning his head gently yet firmly back in the direction of the seething blonde. "What were you thinking idiot?! They found you in Al's room. He couldn't get up, but he pressed the emergency button and they came running. Imagine their delight when they found you passed out, bleeding and barely with a pulse. The fucking picture of responsibility and military perfection." Ed was furious. Roy had initially thought that he was a bit pissed, joking perhaps, but Ed was genuinely steaming at the ears.

"Why…" he _would _throw up, this much he knew. "would you care?" He tried to take a deep cleansing breath, but his aching ribcage refused to cooperate.

"I don't want to see you die because of a fucking stupid sense of judgement!"Ed hissed in his ear. "Just when I gained Al… I would lose… don't ever fucking do that again, nevermind, you wont, because Im not leaving here, not. Ever."

"Al?" Roy wheezed.

"They'll have to wheel him in. Obviously you cant be fucking trusted."

Roy chuckled through stringing lung pain. Ed had no idea…

"Theres nothing funny about this asshole! I almost lost you!" Roy met his eyes then. They were large and bright, there was fear and relief behind the anger, lots and lots of anger. Ed was good at getting angry fast.

"Hurtin'.. my ears…" Roy mumbled, hoping Ed would catch on.

"Yeah, well like a give a…"

Roy was happy with the timing, he managed to lift his arm and Ed was so mad he didn't see the tug coming, he pulled the blonde down and Ed had just enough time left to throw up his hands to break the fall. Plenty enough time for Roy to capture that surprised mouth in his. He smiled as he felt Ed go still. He nudged the lips above his open with his tongue and they did, the heated breath smelled of coffee and vanilla. "Im hungry, all of a sudden." He husked, not breaking their gentle contact.

"Hmmm same." Ed whispered, ad his tongue rubbed Roy's on its way to lick at the brunettes swollen lip. "very"

Roy wanted to stay like that forever, the curtain of Ed's bangs filtered out the ugly hospital room and the sensous movement of the man above him had him going crazy. He moaned once, and then suppressed a hick of pain. Ed untangled himself quickly, breathing heavily. Roy looked on with satisfaction at the hot mess he turned the blonde into. "Mmm still starving." He growled, smiling lightly as Ed ran his hand nervously through his hair. "yeah well there's some might pissed off people out there, and they're all waiting to collectively skin you." He looked from the door back to Roy, his eyes bright. "And I was supposed to tell them as soon as you woke up."

"But you decided to take the first bite, pun intended." Roy smirked.

"Well, this wasn't what I was going for but yes, essentially, something of that sort." Ed flushed.

"And how's that going for ya?

"I'd say I got my fair share." Ed smiled wickedly, sauntering to the door and throwing it open. There stood Hawkeye, Breda, Feury, Armstron and to Roy's utter terror, Madame Christmas, who elbowed her way to the front of the pack. They looked ready to kill.

"Ladies and gentlemen" Ed announced. "He's all yours."

AN: Hope you like!


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